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TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2006 Desire2Learn Responds to Blackboard Patent Claim Researchers Announce New Chip Technology Court in Belgium Orders Google to Stop Reposting News DESIRE2LEARN RESPONDS TO BLACKBOARD PATENT CLAIM In a legal filing responding to Blackboard's patent infringement lawsuit, Desire2Learn alleges not only that Blackboard's patent is invalid but also that senior Blackboard executives were aware of this when they filed the patent application in 1999. According to Desire2Learn, technology developed and marketed by the Instructional Management Systems (IMS) project in April 1998 represents so-called prior art, which would preclude granting a patent for such technology. Current Blackboard officials were paid consultants on that project and so were aware of those technologies, according to Desire2Learn. Matthew Small, senior vice president and general counsel for Blackboard, rejected Desire2Learn's contention and sought to reassure the broader community that its patent does not cover all learning systems. "We don't claim to have invented the course management system," he said. The IMS technology does not invalidate the Blackboard patent, Small suggested, though he declined to offer specifics about how the tools are different. Chronicle of Higher Education, 18 September 2006 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/09/2006091801t.htm RESEARCHERS ANNOUNCE NEW CHIP TECHNOLOGY Researchers at Intel and the University of California, Santa Barbara, have developed a new kind of computer chip that transfers data between chips using lasers instead of wires, which have long been a bottleneck in computing. Fiber-optic technology allows data to travel very fast over long distances, but data-transfer rates remain a function of how quickly data can travel over wires from chip to chip. The new technology combines a silicon-based processor with a layer of light-emitting indium phosphide. The result, said researchers, could be an astounding increase in the speed at which data can travel. Such a breakthrough could allow computer scientists to rethink how computers fundamentally work and what they are capable of. For example, the new chips, which could cost a few dollars, could deliver data-transmission speeds 100 times faster than today's optical transceivers, which cost several thousand dollars. The new technology is not expected to make its way into commercial products before the end of the decade. New York Times, 17 September 2006 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/18/technology/18chip.html COURT IN BELGIUM ORDERS GOOGLE TO STOP REPOSTING NEWS A Belgian court has ordered Google to stop using news stories from a number of French-language newspapers on its Web site. An organization called Copiepresse, which manages copyright for French and German newspapers in Belgium, had complained that Google does not ask permission to use the papers' content, nor does it reimburse the papers, even though Google sells advertising and makes money from the content it posts on its site. The court agreed and ordered Google to stop using the disputed news articles. If Google does not comply, it will be subject to a fine of US$1.3 million per day. Margaret Boribon, general secretary for Copiepresse, said she would inform other news organizations in Europe of the decision, which might allow them to pursue similar injunctions in other markets. CNET, 18 September 2006 http://news.com.com/2100-1030_3-6116591.html ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your settings, or access the Edupage archive, visit http://www.educause.edu/Edupage/639 Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE RESOURCES The EDUCAUSE Resource Center is a repository for information concerning use and management of IT in higher education. To access resources including articles, books, conference sessions, contracts, effective practices, plans, policies, position descriptions, and blog content, go to http://www.educause.edu/resources ***************************************************** CONFERENCES For information on all EDUCAUSE learning and networking opportunities, see http://www.educause.edu/31 ***************************************************** COPYRIGHT Edupage copyright (c) 2006, EDUCAUSE
